| Microsoft Flight Simulator | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Flight simulation |
| Developers | Sublogic Bruce Artwick Organization Aces Game Studio Dovetail Games Asobo Studio[1] |
| Publishers | Microsoft Xbox Game Studios Dovetail Games |
| Creator | Bruce Artwick |
| Platforms | MS-DOS,Classic Mac OS,PC-98,PlayStation 5,Windows,Xbox Series X/S,Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| First release | Microsoft Flight Simulator November 1982; 43 years ago (1982-11) |
| Latest release | Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 November 19, 2024; 12 months ago (2024-11-19) |
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series offlight simulation video games forMS-DOS,Classic Mac OS, andMicrosoft Windowsoperating systems. It was an early product in theMicrosoft application portfolio and differed significantly fromMicrosoft's other software, which was largely business-oriented.Microsoft Flight Simulator is Microsoft's longest-running software product line, predating Windows by three years,[2] and is one of the longest-running video game series of all time.[3][4]
Bruce Artwick began the development ofFlight Simulator in 1977. His company,Sublogic, initially distributed it for various personal computers.[4] In 1981, Artwick was approached by Microsoft's Alan M. Boyd who was interested in creating a "definitive game" that would graphically demonstrate the difference between older 8-bit computers, such as the Apple II, and the new 16-bit computers, such as the IBM PC, still in development. In 1982, Artwick's company licensed a version ofFlight Simulator for theIBM PC to Microsoft, which marketed it asMicrosoft Flight Simulator.
In 2009, Microsoftclosed downAces Game Studio, which was the department responsible for creating and maintaining theFlight Simulator series. In 2014,Dovetail Games were granted the rights by Microsoft to port the Gold Edition of Microsoft'sFlight Simulator X toSteam and publishFlight Simulator X: Steam Edition.
Microsoft announced a new installment at E3 in 2019, simply titledMicrosoft Flight Simulator, to be released initially on PC and ported over to theXbox Series consoles at a later date. On July 12, 2020, Microsoft opened up preorders and announced thatMicrosoft Flight Simulator for PC would be available on August 18, 2020.[5] The company announced three different versions of the title – standard, deluxe, and premium deluxe, each providing an incremental set of gameplay features, including airports, and airplanes to choose from.[6] The Xbox edition was released on July 27, 2021.[7]
The latest entry,Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, was released on November 19, 2024.
| 1982 | Flight Simulator |
|---|---|
| 1983 | |
| 1984 | Flight Simulator 2.0 |
| 1985 | |
| 1986 | Flight Simulator (for Macintosh) |
| 1987 | |
| 1988 | Flight Simulator 3.0 |
| 1989 | Flight Simulator 4.0 |
| 1990 | |
| 1991 | |
| 1992 | |
| 1993 | Flight Simulator 5.0 |
| 1994 | |
| 1995 | Flight Simulator 5.1 |
| 1996 | Flight Simulator for Windows 95 |
| 1997 | Flight Simulator 98 |
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | Flight Simulator 2000 |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | Flight Simulator 2002 |
| 2002 | |
| 2003 | Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | Flight Simulator X |
| 2007 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2013 | |
| 2014 | Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2020 | Flight Simulator |
| 2021 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2024 | Flight Simulator 2024 |
Microsoft Flight Simulator began as a set of articles written byBruce Artwick in 1976 about a3D computer graphics program. When the magazine editor said that subscribers wanted to buy the program, Artwick set to work to create it and incorporated a company calledSublogic Corporation in 1977. The company began selling flight simulators for several computer platforms, including the8080,Altair 8800, andIMSAI 8080. In 1979 Sublogic releasedFS1 Flight Simulator for theApple II. In 1980, Sublogic released a version for theTRS-80, and in 1982 they licensed anIBM PC version withCGA graphics to Microsoft, which was released as simplyMicrosoft Flight Simulator on aself-booting disk. In the early days of less-than-100%IBM PC compatible systems,Flight Simulator andLotus 1-2-3 were used as unofficial compatibility test software for new PC clone models.[8]
Sublogic continued to develop for other platforms and portedFlight Simulator II to the Apple II in 1983;Commodore 64,MSX, andAtari 8-bit computers in 1984; andAmiga andAtari ST in 1986. Meanwhile, Bruce Artwick left Sublogic and foundedThe Bruce Artwick Organization to continue his work on subsequent Microsoft releases, beginning withMicrosoft Flight Simulator 3.0 in 1988.Microsoft Flight Simulator reached commercial maturity with version 3.1, and went on to encompass the use of 3D graphics and graphic hardware acceleration.
Microsoft continued to produce newer versions of the flight simulation software, adding features, such as new aircraft types and augmented scenery. The2000 and2002 versions were available in "Standard" and "Professional" editions, where the latter included more aircraft, tools and scenery options. The2004 release (version 9) marked the celebration of one hundred years of powered flight and had only one edition.Flight Simulator X, released in 2006, returned to dual versions with a "Standard" and a "Deluxe" edition.
The flying area encompasses planet Earth with varying degrees of detail and includes over 24,000 airports. There is an ever-growing list of scenery representing major landmarks and popular cities. Landscape details become sparse as gameplay moves away from population centers within the flight simulator, particularly outside the United States, although a variety of websites offer scenery add-ons to remedy this.
The three latest versions incorporate sophisticated weather simulation, along with the ability to download real-world weather data (first available withFlight Simulator 2000). Additional features in these newer versions include air traffic environments with interactiveair traffic control functions, new aircraft models from the historicalDouglas DC-3 to the modernBoeing 777, interactive lessons, challenges, and aircraft checklists. The two latest versions ofMicrosoft Flight Simulator have a "kiosk mode", which allows the application to be run in electronickiosks located in public places like shopping malls.Microsoft Flight Simulator has a wide selection of upgrades and add-ons, both free and commercial, official and fan-made.
Microsoft Flight Simulator X is the third most recent major release ofMicrosoft Flight Simulator, and the last one developed by Aces Game Studio. It includes a graphics engine upgrade and compatibility with previewDirectX 10 andWindows Vista. It was released on October 17, 2006, in North America. There are two versions of the game, both on two DVDs. The "Deluxe" edition contains the newGarmin G1000 integrated flight instrument system in three cockpits, additional aircraft, and missions; Tower Control capability in multiplayer mode; higher detail scenery for cities and airports; and a Software Development Kit (SDK) for development. The main improvements are graphical.
Microsoft has also released aFlight Simulator X demo, which contains three aircraft, two airports, and two missions. It is compatible with Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista.
On January 22, 2009, it was reported that the development team was heavily affected by Microsoft's program of job cuts, with indications that the entireMicrosoft Flight Simulator team had been laid off.[9][10] Microsoft confirmed the closure of theAces Game Studio on January 26, 2009, in a post on the official FSInsider Web site.[11] stating "This difficult decision was made to align Microsoft's resources with our strategic priorities.Microsoft Flight Simulator X will remain available at retail stores and Web retailers, the Flight Sim community will continue to learn from and encourage one another, and we remain committed to theFlight Simulator franchise for the long term."
According to former Aces employee Phil Taylor, the shutdown was not due to sales performance ofFSX, but due to management problems and delays in project delivery, combined with increased demand for staff.[12] Speculation in the mainstream and gaming media was that future versions could be released as an Internet-based version, or on Microsoft'sXbox platform.[13]
In October 2009, two (out of over fifty) former members of the Aces Game Studio formed a new game studio called the Cascade Game Foundry[14] for the development of simulation games.[15][16]
In late 2007, Aces Game Studio announced Microsoft ESP (Enterprise Simulation Platform), a development platform for companies that want to create products that use the technology inFlight Simulator. Following the closure of the Aces Game Studio in January 2009,Lockheed Martin announced in late 2009 that they had negotiated with Microsoft a licensing agreement to purchase the intellectual property (including source code) for the Microsoft ESP product. It is the commercial-use version ofFlight Simulator X SP2. On May 17, 2010,[17] Lockheed announced that the new product based upon the ESP source code would be calledPrepar3D (P3D). Lockheed hired members of the original Aces Game Studio team to continue development of the product.
In November 2010, Lockheed Martin debutedPrepar3D version 1.[18] Version 1.1 was released in April 2011, with a retail license cost of US$499.[19] A developer license is also available for a monthly fee of US$9.95. In March 2012, along with the release of version 1.3, the pricing strategy was revised. The Professional edition is now available for US$199, with an Academic License available for US$59.95.
Often touted as 'FSX on steroids', P3D has so far had 5 versions, with the latest launched on April 14, 2020.[20] Version 5 features 41 aircraft and over 23000 airports. Before that, version 2, 3 and 4 saw releases in 2013, 2015, and 2017 respectively.
Due to the changes in elevation between version 4 and version 5, many developers charged for upgrades to make their airport sceneries compatible with the new elevation.[21] This elevation issue, in turn, created new developers to pop up to create "compatibility files" for older version 4 airports to work on version 5. Companies such as iniBuilds and Scandinavian Mountains lead the development of compatibility files.[22][23]
On July 9, 2014,Dovetail Games announced that Microsoft had granted them rights to develop the nextFlight Simulator in the series. Dovetail Games also announced the release ofFlight Simulator X: Gold Edition onSteam for late 2014, titledMicrosoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition. It was released on December 18, 2014. It is a re-release and includes content that was provided with the originalFSX: Gold Edition which includesFSX: Deluxe Edition, theAcceleration expansion pack, and both official Service Packs and repackages them in one bundle and a single installation. TheSteam Edition includes "all standard Steam functionality", including an overhaul of the multiplayer support to go through Steam rather than the now-defunctGameSpy,[24] improved stability onWindows 7 and8, and features minor performance tweaks including a complete recompile usingVS2013.[25]
Additionally, Dovetail Games has worked with existing developers and publishers to distribute their content on Steam as DLC. Currently, there are over 100 add-ons for FSX: Steam Edition[26] from over 35 developers available on the Steam store including Aerosoft, Captain Sim, Orbx Simulation Systems, Real Environment Xtreme (REX), Carenado, Virtavia, and others.
In May 2017, Dovetail Games announcedFlight Sim World, based on the codebase ofFlight Simulator X, and released later that month.[27] Only a year later, on April 23, 2018, Dovetail announced end of development ofFlight Sim World and the end of sales effective May 15, 2018.[28]
Microsoft released a new flight simulator titledMicrosoft Flight in February 2012. Developed byThe Coalition (as Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver), it was not part of theMicrosoft Flight Simulator series, but instead was designed to replace it and aimed at drawing new users into flight gaming. While claiming to be simpler to use for inexperienced users, it is incompatible withFlight Simulator and does not allow the use of existingFlight Simulator add-ons (including aircraft, objects, and photographic scenery).
The game was "pay to play", as only the single island of Hawai'i and one aircraft was available without buying downloadable content. On July 26, 2012, Microsoft cancelled further development ofFlight.[29]
On June 9, 2019, as part of their E3 conference announcements Microsoft revealed that they would be bringing back theFlight Simulator series with an updated release, simply titledMicrosoft Flight Simulator. On the same day, Microsoft launched a new website for the title and posted a teaser video on their Xbox YouTube channel.[30] The new version features tight integration of ground satellite data and Microsoft's own Azure AI into the simulator's engine to generate near-photorealistic graphics.Asobo Studio is the lead developer.[31]
The game is Microsoft's first simulator sinceMicrosoft Flight in 2012.[32] In addition to the PC release it was also released for the Xbox Series X and Series S, making it the first entry in theMicrosoft Flight Simulator series to be released for a gaming console. The Windows PC version of the simulator was released on August 18, 2020.[33]Microsoft Flight Simulator launched forXbox Series X and Series S on July 27, 2021 and can be played on the Xbox One with Cloud Gaming from Xbox Game Pass.
On June 11, 2023, during the Xbox Games Showcase Microsoft revealed a trailer forMicrosoft Flight Simulator 2024,[34] which was captioned "the next generation of the legendary franchise." It was released in November 2024.
The long history and consistent sales ofFlight Simulator has encouraged a very large body of add-on packages to be developed as both commercial and volunteer ventures. A formalsoftware development kit and other tools for the simulator exist to further facilitate third-party efforts, and some third parties have also learned to 'tweak' the simulator in various ways by trial and error. As for number of add-ons, tweaks, and modificationsFlight Simulator can accommodate solely depends on the user's hardware setup. The number is not limited by the simulator, and when multiple computers are linked together with multiple monitors and third-party software and controls,Flight Simulator enthusiasts can build their own realistic home cockpits.
Individual attributes ofFlight Simulator aircraft that can be customized include; cockpit layout, cockpit image, aircraft model, aircraft model textures, aircraft flight characteristics, scenery models, scenery layouts, and scenery textures, often with simple-to-use programs, or only a text editor such as 'Notepad'. Dedicated 'flight simmers have taken advantage ofFlight Simulator's vast add-on capabilities, having successfully linkedFlight Simulator to homebuilt hardware, some of which approaches the complexity of commercial full-motion flight simulators.
The simulator's aircraft are made up of five parts:
Most versions ofMicrosoft Flight Simulator include some of the world's most popular aircraft from different categories, such as the Mooney Bravo and Beechcraft Baron 58, which fall into the general aviation category; the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737, which fall into the civil jets category; the Robinson R22, which falls into the helicopter category; the Air Scheffel 738, which falls into the general aviation category again; and many other planes commonly used around the world.
Not being limited to using the default aircraft, add-on planes can be downloaded from many sources for free or purchased, which can then be installed intoMicrosoft Flight Simulator. The Beechcraft 1900D, pictured above, is an add-on aircraft. Similarly, add-on repaints can be added to default aircraft; these repaints are usually downloaded for free.
A growing add-on category for the series is AI (artificial intelligence) traffic. AI traffic is the simulation of other vehicles in theFS landscape. This traffic plays an important role in the simulator, as it is possible to crash into traffic (this can be disabled), thus ending the player's session, and to interact with the traffic via the radio and ATC. This feature is active even with third-party traffic. Microsoft introduced AI traffic in MSFS 2002 with several airliners and private aircraft. This has since been supplemented with many files created by third-party developers. Typically, third-party aircraft models have multiple levels of detail, which allow the AI traffic to be better on frame rates, while still being detailed during close looks. There are several prominent freeware developers. Some third-party AI traffic can also be configured for "real-time" departures.
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Scenery add-ons usually involve replacements for existing airports, with enhanced and more accurate detail, or large expanses of highly detailed ground scenery for specific regions of the world. Some types of scenery add-on replace or add structures to the simulator. Both freeware and payware scenery add-ons are very widely available. Airport enhancements, for example, range from simple add-ons that update runways or taxiways to very elaborate packages that reproduce every lamp, pavement marking, and structure at an airport with near-total accuracy, including animated effects such as baggage cars or marshalling agents. Wide-area scenery enhancements may use detailed satellite photos and 3-D structures to closely reproduce real-world regions, particularly those including large cities, landmarks, or spectacular natural wonders.
Virtual flight networks such asIVAO,VATSIM, and Pilot Edge as well as Virtual Skies, and Mindstar Aviation's AirspaceVR[35] use special, small add-on modules forFlight Simulator to enable connection to their proprietary networks in multiplayer mode, and to allow for voice and text communication with other virtual pilots and controllers over the network. These networks allow players to enjoy and enhance realism in their game. These networks are for ATC (air traffic control).
Some utilities, such as FSUIPC, merely provide useful tweaks for the simulator to overcome design limitations or bugs, or to allow more extensive interfacing with other third-party add-ons. Sometimes certain add-ons require other utility add-ons in order to work correctly with the simulator.
Other add-ons provide navigation tools, simulation of passengers, and cameras that can view aircraft or scenery from any angle, more realistic instrument panels and gauges, and so on.
Some software add-ons provide operability with specific hardware, such as game controllers and optical motion sensors.
FSDeveloper.com is one website that host a forum style knowledge base aimed at the development of add-on items, tools, and software.
Excel Unusual hosts two versions of flight simulator downloads and tutorials, built from scratch with only VBA and cell formulas, in both 2D[36] and 3D.[37]
A number of websites are dedicated to providing users with add-on files (such as airplanes from actual airlines, airport utility cars, actual buildings located in specific cities, textures, and city files). The wide availability over the internet of freeware add-on files for the simulation package has encouraged the development of a large and diverse virtual community, linked up by design group and enthusiast message boards, online multiplayer flying, and 'virtual airlines'. The internet has also facilitated the distribution of 'payware' add-ons for the simulator, with the option of downloading the files, which reduces distribution costs.
Flight Simulator has been praised for its realism.PC Magazine in January 1983 calledFlight Simulator "extraordinarily realistic ... a classic program, unique in the market". It praised the graphics and detailed scenery, and concluded "I think it's going tosell its share of IBM PCs, and will certainly sell somecolor/graphics adapters".[38]BYTE in December 1983 wrote that "this amazing package does an incredible job of making you think you're actually flying a small plane". While it noted the inability to use aRGB monitor or a joystick, the magazine concluded that "for $49.95 you can't have everything".[39] A pilot wrote in the magazine in March 1984 that he found the simulatedCessna 182 to be "surprisingly realistic". While criticizing the requirement of using the keyboard to fly, he concluded "Microsoft Flight Simulator is a tour de force of the programmer's art ... It can be an excellent introduction to how an aircraft actually operates for a budding or student pilot and can even help instrument pilots or those going for an instrument rating sharpen their skills".[40]
Another pilot similarly praisedFlight Simulator 2.0 inPC Magazine that year, giving it 18 out of 18 points. He reported that its realism compared well to two $3 million hardware flight simulators he had recently flown, and that he could use realapproach plates to land at and navigate airportsFlight Simulator's manual did not document.[41]Compute! warned "if you don't know much about flying, this program may overwhelm you. It's not a simple simulation. It's a challenging program even for experienced pilots". The magazine concluded thatFlight Simulator "is interesting, challenging, graphically superb, diverse, rewarding, and just plain fun ... sheer delight".[42]Flight Simulator 2.0 was reviewed in 1989 inDragon #142 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.[43]
Computer Gaming World stated in 1994 thatFlight Simulator 5 "is closer to simulating real flight than ever before".[44]
Microsoft Flight Simulator X was reviewed in 2006 byGameSpot. The reviewer gave the game an 8.4 out of 10 and commented on how it was realistic enough to be used for real-life flight training.[45]
By June 1999, the series had sold21 million units worldwide, for which it was awarded theGuinness World Record for best-selling flight simulator series.[46]
The success of theMicrosoft Flight Simulator series has led to Guinness World Records awarding the series seven world records in theGuinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. These records include "Longest Running Flight Sim Series", "Most Successful Flight Simulator Series", and "Most Expensive Home Flight Simulator Cockpit", which was built by Australian trucking tycoon Matthew Sheil, and cost around $200,000 to build.[47]
Bill Gates licensed Flight Simulator from its original developer, subLogic
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